HAMPTON — Businesses say they are concerned they may have been misled by a company selling advertising on posters for the Winnacunnet High School football team.

Several businesses in the Hampton area have reported that Champion Posters, a Davenport, Iowa, company, told them they could purchase ad space for between $300 to $600 to help benefit the team.

Team fund-raising officials and the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce have learned the money doesn’t benefit the team, and this week they began reaching out to the community to inform local residents that the posters aren’t an official school fundraiser.

“Businesses out there are being led astray that this company was somehow affiliated with Winnacunnet,” said Linda Libbey, the program coordinator for the nonprofit Friends of Winnacunnet Football Boosters.

Some business owners say it is too soon to call the posters a scam, though.

Hampton Veterinary Hospital paid Champion Posters $300 and was told the posters, which will reportedly feature the team’s official schedule and be hung around the town, will arrive at their office by the end of next week.

“At this point, it’s not a scam for me until they don’t produce,” said Beth Priestley, the office manager at Hampton Veterinary Hospital. “Wrong impressions, yes.”

Priestley said the company “gave the impression verbally that they were connected to the high school,” but the invoice Priestley received after sending payment “states they are not.”

Priestley said that was “upsetting” to her, particularly because Champion Posters’ inquiry “didn’t raise any flags” because the hospital has previously worked with other outside fund-raising companies tied to other schools.

“I won’t deal with them ever again because we do like to donate locally,” said Priestley.

When contacted by phone Wednesday, Allen Morrow, the manager of Champion Posters, said his company is “totally legitimate” and that the posters are “strictly for advertising purposes.”

“This does help boost attendance to games, but strictly for advertising purposes only,” said Morrow.

Morrow said Champion Posters has been in business since 2005 and produces posters for athletic teams in “47 or 48 states.” He said they have been printing for New Hampshire teams and Winnacunnet teams since 2008 and 2013, respectfully.

Morrow said he is aware of the concerns from Hampton businesses. He said he is “working” to “make sure” all customers are “happy” and all orders “go out,” and he said he is also working to improve Champion Posters’ “F” rating from the Iowa Better Business Bureau, which it received due to 15 complaints in the last three years.

“We do value our customers very much,” said Morrow. “I’m sorry if somebody has seen that Better Business Bureau rating and thought anything negative about it.”

WHS Athletic Director Carol Dozibrin said she still has questions about the legitimacy of the posters despite Champion Posters’ claims. She also said she would “feel a lot better” if locals contact the school to verify fund-raisers’ legitimacy if any fund-raising inquiries raise concerns or questions.

“We have a good relationship with the community and we don’t want that relationship damaged in any way by a company that comes in to claim they are representing us,” said Dozibrin.